Pursuing 500 Miles: A Journey of Self-Discovery Through Running
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Chapter 1: Setting the Stage
During the Christmas season of 2020, I found myself motivated to establish an ambitious goal for the upcoming year. This drive didn’t stem from any particular event or inspiration but was rather a response to the monotony of indulging in bourbon and ginger ales while watching holiday films. While 'Elf,' the beloved 2003 film featuring Will Ferrell and James Caan, played in the background, I was struck by a thought completely unrelated to the film: I should run a lot in 2021. It was time to get moving.
As I contemplated my capabilities, I decided that running 1,000 miles over the year was within reach. My body was somewhat prepared for the challenge, or so I believed, as I was accustomed to regular jogging. The math seemed straightforward: if I ran about 2.74 miles daily, I would hit 1,000 miles by December. However, I deemed this target a bit too ambitious and cut it back to 500 miles for the year. I quickly established that walking and tennis wouldn't count toward this total. Was I being overly ambitious, or simply drawn to challenges? On paper, it appeared manageable. Yet, life had other plans—family and work took precedence.
The year 2021 felt paradoxically both long and swift. It seemed to zoom by while dragging its feet at the same time. Before I realized it, October was approaching, and then it too passed in a blur. More surprisingly, I found that by November, I had only completed half of my goal. Checking my phone, I toggled between the calendar and calculator apps to gauge the consequences of my procrastination. To meet my target, I needed to run between 4 to 6 miles daily for the next two months. Lesson 1: Plan wisely and avoid last-minute scrambles.
Section 1.1: The Physical Challenge
Running, unlike swimming, is demanding on the body. It is a high-impact activity that can easily strain bones and joints. Early in the year, I experienced a sharp pain in my left knee that intensified around mile three. My ankles throbbed, and I felt discomfort in my core during those initial strides. I often panicked about my achilles tendon in my right foot: "If it hurts now, just imagine how it’ll feel at mile five." This concern was rooted in witnessing a friend suffer a serious injury. In some sports, an achilles injury can spell the end of a career. After an extended period of rest and therapy, I'm glad to say that I recently played tennis with that friend, and he's back to his former self.
Section 1.2: The Science of Time
Modern physics and the theory of relativity introduce intriguing ideas that resonate with my running journey: time dilation and the speed of light. According to Britannica, time dilation refers to the "slowing down" of a clock as perceived by an observer in motion relative to that clock. In simpler terms, time can seem to pass at different rates for different observers based on their speed. This concept ties back to the speed of light; the faster one moves, the slower time appears to pass. This notion has been popularized in science fiction, where characters traveling at "warp speed" experience time differently than those at rest. While I haven’t tested this theory myself, the implications are fascinating.
All this scientific talk may help explain why time feels like it drags on when you’re on a treadmill. Or perhaps it’s simply a product of fatigue. When you’re gasping for breath, wiping away sweat, and feeling cramps as you lap the park, five minutes can feel like an eternity.
"I must be running closer to the speed of light," I joked to myself, noticing how slowly time seemed to pass.
Despite the physics, one important realization emerged while running: once you get started, everything else tends to fall into place. Running can be meditative and soothing, much like writing. The hardest part of writing often is the initial act of putting pen to paper, which is frequently hindered by insecurity and fear of judgment. Thus, writing can be viewed as an act of defiance and bravery. Completing a piece brings satisfaction, akin to the endorphins released after a good run. Lesson 2: The first minute is often the hardest.
Chapter 2: The Importance of Rest
Rest is essential for excelling in any endeavor, whether it’s office work or maintaining a robust immune system. "Why We Sleep," a notable book by Matthew Walker, PhD, published in 2017, argues convincingly that sleep is not just a component of a balanced life but its very foundation. After starting the book in late 2019 and ultimately finishing it, I realized its insights had a significant impact on my life.
As a self-proclaimed night owl and coffee enthusiast, I've often found it easy to sacrifice sleep in favor of maximizing my waking hours. If I reach the age of 100, I will have spent roughly 33 of those years asleep—an idea I once found absurd. Yet, "Why We Sleep" helped me understand that sleep is not a waste of time; it’s a superpower. My runs felt markedly different when I was well-rested, with heightened stamina and focus. Lesson 3: Make sleep a priority.
This is a partial rewrite; if you need more sections or specific parts included, please let me know!